Under the Higher Education Sprout Project, the University has continued to advance its mission through five major dimensions: teaching innovation, industry–academia collaboration, public responsibility in higher education, university social responsibility (USR), and internationalization. Guided by the core values of interdisciplinarity, innovation, resilience, and inclusiveness, this year’s outcomes reflect both institutional strengths and the University’s proactive response to social change and global challenges.
1. Teaching Innovation: Building a New Learning Paradigm through Digitalization, Interdisciplinary Integration, and Emerging Technologies
Aligned with the University’s mid-term development plan, efforts this year focused on enhancing students’ academic readiness, employability, and entrepreneurial capabilities. A systemic reform was implemented across recruitment, curriculum design, and learning support under five sub-projects.
The project on precision learning and digital teaching continued to incorporate autonomous learning indicators into admission mechanisms, supported by institutional research (IR) data to enable dynamic adjustments for 33 departments and programs. Curriculum development also evolved through external advisory systems, dual-loop quality assurance, and the expansion of micro-credit and AI-enhanced courses. The growth of digital content—recorded lectures, open educational resources, and upgraded learning platforms—strengthened both flexible learning and interdisciplinary mobility.
The cybersecurity and intelligent learning environment project further enhanced students’ practical skills. Over three years, the University cultivated cybersecurity talents across technical and managerial domains, and completed ISO 27701 auditor training with hands-on internal audit practice. By developing a penetration testing simulation platform and establishing a student cybersecurity training legion, the university enhances students’ hands-on skills, enabling them to achieve outstanding performance in multiple competitions. The newly launched CCUTube video platform supports multilingual subtitles and sustainable management of teaching content.
General education and interdisciplinary learning also deepened. The number of students completing interdisciplinary programs increased by 118%, reflecting strong student demand. Faculty development—particularly through AI-enhanced instructional workshops and cross-college co-planning communities—helped standardize modular curriculum design. International and cultural resources were integrated into general education, enabling students to engage with both global issues and local cultural contexts.
In emerging technology education, the University offered nearly 300 courses related to ICT, resulting in an 87% participation rate among undergraduates. The AIUX competition attracted a majority of participants from non-IT fields, demonstrating the democratization of digital skills. AI-supported tools, such as intelligent teaching assistants and KollectPump, further supported teaching innovation and autonomous learning.
The University also strengthened the “last mile” of talent cultivation through career readiness and entrepreneurship programs. Over 6,000 participants joined career-related events, and entrepreneurial education continued expanding, with 31 student teams receiving coaching, securing funding, and obtaining patents. New maker and media labs—including podcast, livestreaming, and AR/VR spaces—enhanced hands-on innovation practice across disciplines.
picture1:National Chung Cheng University Announces 2024 Academic Awards, Recognizing 11 Faculty Members
2. Industry–Academia Collaboration: Enhancing Practical Learning and Applied Research Capacity
Leveraging its balanced strengths in the humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields, the University expanded collaboration with industries, government agencies, NGOs, and research organizations. This year, 106 collaboration projects were completed, generating NT$217 million in total funding and demonstrating robust interdisciplinary application of academic expertise.
A notable achievement is the “Semiconductor Program” co-developed with TSMC. Anchored in three major domains—device/integration, process/module engineering, and equipment engineering—the program integrates industry mentorship, simulated training, and plant visits. In AY113, 162 students participated in the TSMC training center internship, and in summer AY114, the first credit-bearing internship enrolled 55 students, solidifying a sustainable talent-cultivation partnership.
Interdisciplinary research continued to grow under the theme of “Human-Centered Sustainability and Smart Living,” addressing forward-looking topics such as digital human rights, gender equality, AI compliance, intelligent sign language, silver-economy fintech, and ESG evaluation. The University also launched ISO 14064 greenhouse gas inventory work through its Office of Sustainability, signaling a commitment to long-term carbon-reduction planning and institutional environmental governance.
picture2:National Chung Cheng University Signs Memorandum of Understanding for Exchange and Cooperation with National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology
3. Enhancing Public Responsibility in Higher Education: Supporting Equity, Empowerment, and Global Career Development
The University continues to advance educational equity through the long-standing “Jia-Shing Scholarship and Support System.” This year’s efforts focused on three principles—accompaniment, experiential engagement, and career development—to reduce structural barriers for underprivileged students, strengthen cultural inclusiveness, and expand global career opportunities.
Through cross-unit collaboration, the University offered diverse support mechanisms including scholarships, fundraising initiatives, a three-tier counseling framework, career seminars, and academic support workshops. These measures directly address economic, cultural, and social disadvantages and align with SDG4’s emphasis on inclusive and equitable quality education.
Given the unique challenges in Chiayi’s rural and indigenous communities—exacerbated by digital gaps amplified during the pandemic—the University provided tailored academic and cultural support for Indigenous students and extended learning resources to rural areas. These efforts demonstrate the University’s commitment to reducing educational disparities and promoting lifelong learning.
To address global competitiveness and unequal access to international opportunities, the University strengthened system-wide career counseling, improved department-level internship planning, and established cooperative channels with international companies. These measures aim to build a sustainable pipeline for students pursuing global careers while developing practical capabilities for cross-border mobility.
4. University Social Responsibility (USR): From Local Engagement to National Leadership
The University’s USR framework emphasizes local engagement, talent cultivation, and sustainable development. Since 2018, the Office of Social Responsibility and the Advisory Committee have supported the institutionalization of USR efforts. In 2024, the University led the formation of the “National USR Alliance,” bringing more than 20 universities together to promote cross-institutional collaboration—marking a major milestone in Taiwan’s USR movement.
USR strategies revolve around three pillars: sustainable campus, local engagement, and well-being communities. In sustainability, the University achieved high global rankings in the THE Impact Ranking under SDG7, SDG12, SDG16, and SDG17. Ongoing initiatives include sustainable procurement, resource conservation, and environmental governance.
Local engagement efforts integrated fieldwork and data collection into USR-linked courses, establishing cloud-based local knowledge archives and organizing community-based cultural exhibitions. The Mingxiong Cultural and Historical Exhibition Zone evolved into a long-term USR training base connecting scholars, practitioners, and social enterprises.
The “Well-Being Community” initiative advanced interdisciplinary research and action in areas such as aging society needs, intergenerational relations, cross-cultural inclusion, sustainable agriculture, and community resilience. These efforts strengthened community partnerships and created inclusive, sustainable models of social innovation.
The University also expanded participation through faculty USR communities, the USR Ambassador program, and campus-wide events such as “USR Week.” A dual evaluation system—combining KPIs and Social Return on Investment (SROI)—provided comprehensive evidence of social impact and supported continuous improvement.
picture3:Seminar on the Philosophy and Practice of "Social Prescribing" for Taiwan's Super-Aged Society: Fostering Coexistence and Mutual Benefit in Elderly Care
5. Internationalization: Strengthening Global Mobility through Administrative Reform and Language-Driven Competence
Internationalization efforts centered on the dual strategy of “one-stop international administrative services” and “language-driven global competency.” The University modernized administrative workflows through digital governance, with improvements such as a visualized multilingual website, a multi-language chatbot, an integrated FAQ knowledge base, and a fully online outbound exchange application system. These measures significantly increased efficiency and data traceability. As a result, outbound exchange participation rose from 53 to 69 students, a 26% increase. Funding for international mobility also quadrupled compared to the previous year.
External partnerships expanded considerably: 27 university-level agreements were newly signed or renewed—a 35% growth—and faculty international academic exchange increased from 339 to 434 participants, strengthening knowledge circulation between global institutions and campus teaching.
Language education—central to international competency—advanced through structured English instruction (from general communication to academic/professional use), expanded second-language courses (Japanese, French, Spanish, Korean), AI-enhanced language feedback tools, and a restructured Chinese-as-a-second-language track for international students from A1 to B2+ levels. Student-led intercultural initiatives grew steadily, with satisfaction rates consistently above 90%, reflecting the success of experiential internationalization.
Looking forward, the University plans to enhance support for non-degree international students and strengthen connections with local industries through the “Stay in Taiwan” program, ensuring that international learning leads to tangible employability outcomes.
Strengthening Global Presence in Classical Studies: CCU’s Rise in the QS World University Rankings
In addition, the university has achieved remarkable performance in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, specifically in the field of Classics and Ancient History. From 2022 to 2025, its ranking improved significantly from 57th to 31st worldwide, placing it 2nd among all universities in Taiwan. This outstanding achievement has also earned the university additional funding under the Ministry of Education’s “World Top 100 Support Program,” further advancing its development in internationally strategic academic areas.
With the support of this dedicated funding, the university will continue to strengthen teaching and research capacity, as well as faculty recruitment in the ranked discipline, guided by four strategic pillars: “CCU-based,” “Taiwan-focused,” “Global-networking,” and “Self-sustaining.” These strategies aim to ensure the university’s continued visibility and competitiveness in the global academic community.
Conclusion
Across the five dimensions, this year’s results reveal a University that is strategically integrating teaching, research, industry collaboration, social responsibility, and internationalization. Teaching innovation has strengthened interdisciplinary learning; industry–academia partnerships have brought academic expertise into real-world contexts; public responsibility initiatives have broadened educational equity; USR efforts have grown from local roots to national leadership; and internationalization has equipped students with both pathways and competencies for global mobility.
Collectively, these developments demonstrate the University’s capacity to navigate a rapidly changing higher-education landscape while building a sustainable, innovative, and globally competitive institutional future.